The Goonies (1985) review

When ever people talk of classic 80s films, The Goonies is a title that instantly pops into many people’s heads. Starring Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, and a host of other 80’s child actors, The Goonies seems to have jumped straight from the imagination of a child. Set in a visually stunning, if a bit rainy, neighborhood known as the ‘Goon-docks’, the film has everything; a car chase, romance, criminals, treasure, pirates, mystery, intrigue and Sloth.

Adapted for screen with master craftsmanship by Chris Colombus (who would later go on to direct Harry Potter), from a story written by Executive Producer Steven Speilberg, The Goonies is expertly shot by Richard Donner and tells the story of a group of friends who are on a mission to save their family homes from a greedy golf course developer. After finding a map in the attic, The Goonies set out to discover One-Eyed Willie’s hidden treasure and find an adventure riddled with criminals, booby traps and puzzles.

Grabbing the audience’s attention straight away with a rather easy escape from prison for Jake Fratelli and a car chase through the Goon-dock neighborhood, The Goonies are introduced one by one in a beautifully shot sequence. The characters are as much fun as the storyline itself with Chunks’s famous Truffle Shuffle, the wise-cracking Mouth and Sloth, the Fratelli’s disfigured brother they keep locked away and his classic line ‘Hey you guys!’.

Richard Donner’s directing is superb and compliments the story brilliantly whilst each child star’s acting further adds to the enjoyment of the movie. The sets and locations of the movie are visually stunning as are the ingenious booby traps set up by the pirate One-Eyed Willie. One of these is the brilliant bone organ scene where, if the wrong note is played, the floor falls away. The set and props in this scene are fantastic. The bone organ looks both terrifying and amazing at the same time. Another stand-out set is the pirate ship. Looking exactly how anyone would imagine a pirate ship it’s a true visual treat. Most would have given anything as a child to find a treasure map and boat full of treasure. As would anyone.

Although controversy surrounded the movie as a result of the mild bad language used the use if such language gives the film a greater sense of realism. The Goonies is the ultimate child’s adventure that can be enjoyed by both young and old making the audience want to go and find their own adventure.